Rendezvous Islands

The Rendezvous Islands are located in the Discovery Islands, on the Central Coast of British Columbia, between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland.

The Rendezvous Island group comprises North Rendezvous Island, Middle Rendezvous Island, and Rendezvous Island South. North Rendezvous Island has a limited number of fine lodges catering to sport anglers and outdoor enthusiasts, while Rendezvous Island South Provincial Park comprises the entire southernmost island in the group.

Surrounded by virgin old-growth temperate rain forests and abundant wildlife, the Rendezvous Islands enjoy spectacular views of stunning fjords, including Bute Inlet and Toba Inlet, with the magnificent Coast Mountains in the background. The Rendezvous Islands are set amongst some of the finest salmon fishing waters in BC, and offer adventurers excellent sport fishing, boating, hiking, diving, sea kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Location: The Rendezvous Islands are located in Calm Channel off the northeast end of Read Island in the Discovery Islands chain of islands, between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. Access to the Rendezvous Islands is by boat from Campbell River (one hour), Quadra Island, or Cortes Island, or by air (floatplane); 15 minutes from Campbell River and an hour from Victoria or Vancouver.

Rapids: Located between Stuart Island and the BC mainland, at the entrance to Bute Inlet, are very strong whirlpools called the Arran Rapids, and just to the west, the Yuculta Rapids. These spectacular rapids are generated by powerful tidal currents that race through the narrow channels like rapids in a river, flooding and ebbing at up to 10 to 15 knots. Natives are recorded as having assisted Captain George Vancouver’s men by using ropes from the shore to pull their longboats through the Arran Rapids.

Sightseeing in the area includes the rapids, Toba Glacier, and the picturesque Cassells Falls that cascade from Cassells Lake.

Wildlife abounds in in this west coast paradise. Black bears, grizzly bears and black-tail deer are found on land, and bald eagles and ospreys grace the skies. Birdlife includes cormorants and many species of duck and waterfowl. In the waters around the islands and neighbouring inlets are otters, sea lions and seals, transient orcas, minke whales, porpoise and pacific white-sided dolphins.

Fishing: The area around Rendezvous Islands offers world-class saltwater and freshwater fishing in some of the richest fishing grounds on the west coast.

Hiking: North Rendezvous Island can be explored via a well-maintained network of scenic trails.

Kayaking: The Discovery Island chain and nearby Desolation Sound provide some of the most accessible wilderness on the west coast, with so many possibilities for the adventurous paddler. Safe paddling in the Discovery Islands requires experience with the use of tide and current tables.

Rendezvous Island South Provincial Park totals approximately 164 hectares, including 113 hectares of upland and 51 hectares of foreshore. This rocky outpost is densely forested with a mostly steep, rocky shoreline. A fair calm-weather anchorage for one or two boats is located in a small nook behind an islet off the southwest shoreline, offering a convenient holding point for mariners waiting to transit Whiterock Passage, Hole in the Wall, or Yuculta Pass. The park has no developed facilities, but no-trace wilderness camping is permitted.

Read Island Provincial Park is located on the southern tip of Read Island, immediately west of the Rendezvous Islands. The 639-hectare park encompasses old-growth forest, bog, fertile lowland and productive second growth forest. Wildlife is abundant in the park, and camping, hiking, kayaking and swimming at Rosen Lake are amongst the recreational opportunities. Access to this remote and wilderness area is by boat and kayak from Heriot Bay on Quadra Island. The shoreline of Read Island is mostly steep and rocky, but there are a few locations for landing small boats and hauling kayaks out. There are no facilities available in the park.

Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park possesses a magical magnetism that draws boaters and paddlers from distant shores. Popular anchorages include Prideaux Haven, Tenedos Bay, and Grace Harbour, and plenty of isolated bays and campsites can be found throughout Desolation Sound’s more than 37 miles (60 km) of coastline.

The remote and pristine Bute Inlet is considered one of the grandest fjords in the world, carved deep into the Coast Mountains. The wilderness and mist-shrouded inlet boasts magnificent abundant wildlife and coastal scenery surrounded by the rugged coastal mountains that heave out of the emerald waters and rise to heights of nearly 10,000 feet, capped by the Homathko Icefield and numerous other glaciers in the surrounding mountain ranges.

To the south of the Rendezvous Islands is Campbell River, which bills itself as the Salmon Capital of the World. One of the four main fishing centres on Vancouver Island, Campbell River is a convenient departure point for travel to the Rendezvous Islands.

Also to the south, and closer to the Rendezvous Islands, is Quadra Island, the largest and most populated of the Discovery Islands, best known for its natural and beautiful wilderness scenery and its excellent salmon and freshwater sportfishing. Heriot Bay on the southeast coast of the island provides a good boat departure point for the Rendezvous Islands, as does Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island.

As an experienced BC realtor, Ed Handja successfully markets and locates real estate on the British Columbia coast for his clients. He’s lived and worked on the coast all his life, traveling from Indian Arm and the Gulf Islands on the southern BC coast, to the Khutzeymateen Valley in the northern most part of British Columbia. Ed is familiar with the west coast of Canada and understands the logistics and considerations required when dealing with the remote and unconventional real estate on the islands and west coast of BC.

Biographical Info

Located adjacent to Desolation Sound Marine Park, Powell River Sea Kayak is the premier sea kayak company for Desolation Sound, providing unbeatable knowledge, service and convenience for experiencing British Columbia’s largest Marine Park – a unique experience of warm Pacific waters, towering Coast Mountains, marine wildlife and stunning scenery.

Powell River Sea Kayak offers guided day tours, snorkeling, all-inclusive multi-day tours, and a well-stocked kayak rental fleet. Launch kayaks from Powell River Sea Kayak’s waterfront site on Okeover Inlet, once home to the “Cougar Lady”, and explore Desolation Sound Marine Park. For even more destinations, another option is to launch from our second location in Lund, or join us at Cabana Desolation Eco Resort in this awesome west coast British Columbia setting.

Biographical Info

Lodge based multi-day sea kayaking tours in the Discovery Islands, off Central Vancouver Island. We operate in and around the Discovery Islands, Desolation Sound, and mainland inlets. View marine parks, wildlife, BC’s highest mountains, glaciers and waterfalls. Watch grizzly bears from your kayak, paddle with seals, dolphin, and porpoise. Incredible marine inter-tidal life. No experience necessary. We are Canada’s longest operating sea kayak company, now entering our 28th year. Recommended by National Geographic as one of Canada’s top places to visit. Join us for an adventure of a lifetime!